ABBOTSFORD, BC – Thursday June 18, 2026: The Abbotsford Community Foundation (ACF) is pleased
to announce 2 projects to support sector wide initiatives within the blueberry industry from this year’s
Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program.

ACF’s Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program, offered through a partnership with the City of
Abbotsford, has been offering matching grants to Abbotsford’s agricultural industry since 2012. Over
the years, the program has provided over $1.6 million in grants to ensure the long-term sustainability
of the local agricultural sector, in all its forms.

In 2026, ACF chose to provide 2 grant streams through the program. The first stream opened February
for Sector Wide Initiatives. It was through this stream that the following projects have been approved:

• $100,000 grant for Generating Breeding Tools to Improve Post-Harvest Blueberry Quality in BC
  led by the University of British Columbia (Castellarin Lab): BC’s blueberry sector is challenged by
  the lack of precise genetic tools to efficiently select novel varieties with improved aroma, texture,
  and storage traits. This project accelerates marker-assisted breeding, strengthens industry
  collaboration, supports grower engagement, knowledge mobilization, and training.

“This funding will help accelerate the development of the next generation of blueberry varieties for
British Columbia, combining advanced genomic tools with breeding innovation to deliver berries with
improved flavour, shelf-life, and resilience. The long-term impact will be a more competitive and
sustainable blueberry industry that supports grower profitability and strengthens Abbotsford’s and
BC’s position as global leaders in blueberry production.” – Simone Castellarin, Professor, Associate
Dean, ResearchWine Research Centre | Faculty of Land and Food Systems.

• $51,205 grant for Advancing the Blueberry Sector led by Organic BC: Canada currently imports
  nearly 5 times as many certified organic blueberries ($4.9M kg) as it exports ($1.1M kg). This
  market dependency limits profitability for both organic and conventional growers. This project will
  conduct farmer-led On-Farm Demonstration & Research (OFDR) trials and synthesize findings into
  actionable pillars.

“We’re grateful for this opportunity to work alongside Abbotsford’s blueberry community to explore
how organic practices can build resilience, reduce risk, and open up new possibilities for BC-grown
berries. When blueberry growers have access to the right knowledge and tools, everyone benefits.” –
Eva-Lena Lang, Executive Director, Organic BC.

“ACF is delighted to be able to make these grants available to support our local blueberry industry,”
says Areni Kelleppan, ACF Executive Director. The ACF Agricultural Enhancement Grants Committee
felt that it was, “a good time to support a specific sector wide initiative and fund innovation with real
world application.” ACF is grateful to be able to partner with the City of Abbotsford to continue to invest in local research and development projects that can support the health and resilience of
Abbotsford’s agricultural industry.

The second stream of ACF’s 2026 Agricultural Enhancement Grants Program will open to local
farmers, producers, and processors for matching grants in October 2026. For more information on this
or any of ACF’s other granting programs, please visit abbotsfordcf.org.

Areni Kelleppan, Executive Director
Abbotsford Community Foundation
arenik@abbotsfordcf.org | 604.850.3755

Since its inception, the Abbotsford Community Foundation has worked to connect donors with causes
they care about, so that we can invest locally & support the well-being & resilience of Abbotsford – not
just today, but for future generations to come. We believe that when we give where we live, we all
benefit. As a grant-maker, convener, & capacity builder for our community, we invest not only in donor
priorities, but in Abbotsford’s emergent needs, to help build a future where we all thrive. To date, we
have invested over $20 million into our local community through student awards, community grants,
agricultural funding, and local disaster relief.